How do you make yourself standout in an interview? How do you make sure you're presenting your experience and qualifications in a way that you are the candidate the company chooses? Interviews are not fun, but there seem to be stock questions asked in every one of them. Here are the top 5 answers, according to Interview Answers in a Flash, that should help you nail your next interview.

Q1. Tell me about yourself

This is a tough question to answer because you don't know for sure what the interviewer is seeking. In general, however, interviewers ask this question for two reasons: 1. to learn more about you and what you consider important than will be obvious from your resume, and 2. to see how well you are able to think on your feet. Don't simply provide your work and educational history.

Answer for small business: "I moved here about ten years ago and really have enjoyed living in this area. The hiking, skiing, and natural beauty are wonderful. I've been married for five years and have one child who is just starting to hike with my husband and me. We both want to instill a love of the outdoors in her early. Part of the reason I am interested in working for your company is my appreciation for the outdoors. Your company has supported all of the initiatives to create increased park land in our area over the last five years, and I want to work for a company like that."

Answer for a large corporation: "As you can see from my resume, I have a lot of experience helping customers solve problems. In my current position, I am responsible for working with approximately 150 families. As a result, I have become highly organized and complete my documentation of service directly after working with a customer. In my last review, I received the highest customer service rating in my group." Continue Reading

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From How to Split an Atom:

The web is store house of tips and tricks. Most of this content, however, would be most accurately described as How To’s — narrowly focused and informal, without the academic rigor you might expect find in a College or University. More and more, major Universities are offering lectures free of charge online. Here are a few ways to sample the coursework of some major Universities from the comfort of your home.

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From SimpleHelp.net:

One often overlooked aspect of using your computer productively is the desktop. Instead of having a pretty picture of the beach, try using one of these wallpapers.

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From FreelanceSwitch:

Once you have left the land of COLA raises, paid sick days, and employer-matched 401Ks, not only do you need to be the writer/programmer/web designer for your business, you also need to be your own CFO.

Here are some absolutely necessary components for your business (and life) financial portfolio:

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From Lifehack.org:

The iPhone has been out for more than a week and the hubbub has started dying off and the realities are starting to set in. Not to try and put more fuel on the fire of hype, but I always think the point when the Reality Distortion Field effect starts wearing off* is the best time to look at the technology objectively as well as the application options available to you.

I mean, when an application that tests how long you can push a button gets web-wide coverage, you know there’s some kind of reality distortion going on.

So, I’ve compiled a list of apps from the iTunes App Store that I’ve found useful and good for productivity that you might be interested in trying out. That is, if you hadn’t already done so during the week’s excessive hype. Or if you’re not busy playing Crash Bandicoot Nitro Kart.

To find any of these apps and install them, fire up iTunes and run them through the iTunes Store search box. And if you’re favorite productivity application isn’t listed here, it could be because I haven’t tried it or didn’t like it—but then, just as likely, it might just be because of the bone-headed decision to restrict some apps by country.

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From Lifehack.org:

It’s one of the most common reasons for arguments and divorce in marriages. It can keep us from achieving our dreams, or it can enable us. It can cultivate the worst in people, and it can cultivate the best. Money is one the most fundamental, crude, material parts of our existence, yet we look at it like some kind of metaphysical, unknowable force.

If this describes your relationship with money, it might be time to dedicate some time to improving your knowledge of your finances and set about improving them. You could even make a 30-day trial out of getting a grip on your money. From reducing your debt to automating your tax accounting records, there’s something for every reader.

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From Life Hackery:

On a recent dumpster diving trip, we came across several discarded pairs of jeans. They seemed perfectly good and sported no rips, stains or funky smells. Since these 43 X 30s were out of our size range, they went right to the thrift store’s drop box.

Spotting these seemingly still-good jeans being discarded brought up a question: what can you do with old jeans that you just can’t wear any longer? Actually, a lot of things. Denim is a sturdy and long-lasting material. Most of the suggestions below require some level of craftiness, but with a little time and effort you can give those old jeans new life. Bonus: recycling jeans to make stuff is a fantastic way to save money and increase your green factor. Next time we see some old jeans going to waste, we’re snagging ‘em.

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AZU-1: Lifehack

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From the Site:

Occasionally I toy with the idea of creating a Get Rich Slowly podcast. (A podcast is like a short internet-based radio program. Think of it as an “audio blog”.) I think it would be a great way to explore topics in greater depth, and in ways that print just cannot handle. I’m also fascinated with the idea of interviewing regular people about their everyday money concerns.

I’m not ready to make the leap to podcasting just yet, but I have begun listening to other personal finance podcasts from time-to-time. Here are some of the best that I’ve found:

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From the Site:

Converting your vehicle to run on veggie oil is a good move economically and environmentally. And here’s what BP and Exxon don’t want you to know: it’s not hard to do.

Wouldn’t it be great to pack-up the car or the SUV for a weekend excursion without fretting over the cost of fuel? Or take that road trip you and your friends keep talking about? All with no concern about pumping all of your hard-earned cash into the gas tank. Heck, it would be great just to drive around town without that concern. Here’s how you can do it.

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Zero tolerance: It's the only way to break a bad habit. So don't indulge - scratch that itch mentally. Here's how.

#1 - Wear a Rubber Band

When you feel a craving coming on, snap your wrist three times quickly. Scientists and torturers call this negative reinforcement: Craving equals pain. It's akin to smacking yourself on the nose with a newspaper.

#2 - Pour Yourself a Glass of Cure

When it comes to nervous habits, water is your secret weapon. When you feel a craving coming on, chug at least 10 ounces. It's amazing how well this works.

#3 - Switch Sides of the Bed

If you're a consistent habit former, you should overhaul your routines - what time you wake up, what you eat for breakfast, what route you take to work, and so on - every 3 months.

Source: Men's Health magazine, May 2008

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